Inflation was a pressing concern for both businesses and consumers in Poland throughout 2023 – peaking at 18.4% at the start of the year – but there are signs that the uncertainty facing the market might be dissipating.
Consumer price inflation stood at 6.6% in October 2023, with commodity prices up 5.7% year-on-year and service prices rising 9.3% year-on-year.
In December, Poland's government announced that it was extending the 0% VAT rate on food staples, amid continuing uncertainty in the economy. The country cut the tax on food staples to zero back at the start of 2022 as inflation rates started to rise.
According to ING Bank, which has set its CPI inflation rate for Poland at 6% for 2024, the 'outlook is exceptionally uncertain due to the lack of any final decision on the zero VAT rate on food and support measures in the energy market, as well as a decision on electricity and gas prices for households in 2024'.
Last summer, retail representative group POHiD cited multiple challenges for the retail sector, including increases in energy prices, record inflation, disruptions in supply chains and the war in neighbouring Ukraine. As Renata Juszkiewicz, president of the management board of POHiD, noted, "Polish trade is strongly feeling the effects of the global economic crisis, having to face, on the one hand, high operating costs and, on the other hand, a significant decline in consumption."
Younger consumers in particular have been struggling with financial stability, a recent study found.
Nonetheless, a number of leading Polish retailers have announced investment plans, with Eurocash, Aldi Polska and market leader Biedronka among those confident of future growth.
Here's an overview of the top ten supermarket retail chains in Poland, according to their most recently-available full-year turnover. All data is supplied by Retail-Index.
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1. Jerónimo Martins
Turnover: €14.94 billion (2021)
Jerónimo Martins is a Portuguese retail company and the owner of Biedronka, the largest supermarket chain in Poland. The company also owns Hebe, a popular beauty and drugstore chain with 291 outlets. Jerónimo Martins, which first entered the market in 1995, reported turnover of €14.94 billion in Poland in 2021.
Read More: Biedronka Hits 3,500 Store Mark In Poland
2. Lidl & Kaufland
Turnover: €7.05 billion (2021)
Lidl and Kaufland are both German retail chains owned by the Schwarz Group, and generated €7.05 billion in turnover in Poland in 2021. Some 750 outlets operate under the Lidl banner in Poland, along with 237 Kaufland stores, bringing the group's total to 987.
3. Eurocash
Turnover: €3.9 billion (2020)
Eurocash boasts over 16,000 outlets in Poland under a myriad of banners including abc, Arhelan, Delikatesy Centrum, Euro Sklep, Eurocash, Frisco.pl, Groszek, Lewiatan, and Mila. In 2020, Eurocash generated €3.9 billion in turnover. The group opened its first stores in 1993.
Read More: Poland's Eurocash Group Secures Financing Worth PLN 1bn
4. Żabka
Turnover: €3.05 billion (2021)
Żabka is a Polish convenience store chain with over 8,000 outlets, including Żabka, Żabka Nano, and Żappka stores. Żabka, which has been a key driver of autonomous store technology in the region, generated €3.05 billion in turnover in 2021.
Read More: Żabka Group’s Tomasz Suchański On How The Polish Retailer is Redefining Convenience
5. Grupa Specjal
Turnover: €2.95 billion (2020)
Reporting a turnover of €2.95 billion in 2020, Grupa Specjal has some 9,880 outlets across Poland, under the banners Livio, Nasz Sklep, Premium Nasz Sklep, and Rabat Detal, its liquor store format.
6. Dino
Turnover: €2.82 billion (2021)
Generating €2.82 billion in turnover in 2021, Dino is a rapidly-growing supermarket chain that boasts some 1,815 outlets across Poland, up from 1,473 outlets the previous year. The group was founded in 1999.
Read More: Dino Polska To Acquire 75% Equity Stake In eZebra
7. Auchan
Turnover: €2.47 billion (2020)
Auchan is a French retail chain with operations in several countries, including Poland, where it has 126 outlets. The group operates stores under the Auchan Hypermarkets, Auchan Supermarkets, Easy Auchan, Moje Auchan, and Simply banners, and generated €2.47 billion in turnover in 2020.
Read More: Auchan Opens Its First Fully Autonomous Store In Poland
8. Polska Grupa Supermarketów
Turnover: €1.87 billion (2021)
Polska Grupa Supermarketów operates a network of independent stores under three main banners - Delica, Minuta8, and Top Market. Polska Grupa Supermarketów generated €1.87 billion in turnover in 2021, and operates some 634 stores as of last year. The group was founded in 2002.
9. Carrefour
Turnover: €1.83 billion (2021)
French retail giant Carrefour operates approximately 900 stores in Poland, under banners including Carrefour Express, Globi, Carrefour Hypermarket, Carrefour Supermarket, and its recently-launched Supeco discount brand. Carrefour Poland generated €1.83 billion in turnover in 2021. It has had a presence in the country since 1997.
Read More: Carrefour Polska Expands Quick-Commerce Service With Glovo To More Cities
10. Makro C&C (Metro)
Turnover: €1.19 billion (2021)
Wholesaler Makro C&C, owned by the Metro Group, operates two main banners, Makro and Odido. Makro operates 29 cash-and-carry outlets in Poland and generated €1.19 billion in turnover in 2021. Elsewhere, its network of franchised Odido stores encompasses some 2,500 outlets.
Ranking just outside the top ten are a number of major operators, including Emperia (Maxima), which has a turnover of €974 million (as of 2020) and operates two supermarket brands, Barbora and Stokrotka, across 807 stores. Netto has a turnover of €795 million (2020) and operates 647 stores. Selgros has a turnover of €778 million (2020) and operates 19 cash-and-carry stores. Chorten has an estimated turnover of €750 million (2020) and operates 2,325 stores. E.Leclerc has a turnover of €695 million (2020) and operates 44 hypermarkets. Polomarket has a turnover of €447 million (2021) and operates 280 stores. Aldi has a turnover of €411 million (2020) and operates 200 stores. Finally, Intermarché, operated by Grupa Muszkieterów, has a turnover of €405 million (2020) and operates 200 stores.
About Retail-Index
Retail-Index is a specialist supplier of management information on consumer retail markets, provided by Veraart Research Group in the Netherlands. Its mission is to supply managers with up-to-date key information on retail markets in Europe and support them in their international expansion.
The company dates back to 1964, when it started as a market research and marketing consulting company for consumer products and services. In 1989, it started publishing written reports on various retail sectors in Europe. As of 2005, it publishes its information on retailers through the online database and curated datasheet exports available on www.retail-index.com. A team of researchers manages the data to reflect upon current developments in the markets, collected from an extensive number of sources.
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© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Robert McHugh. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
